For me I try not to be a music snob. Yes I like a great sounding hifi and its nice to have at least one system that sounds really good, but for me its more important 'just to have music in my life'.
My life philosophy is to find one thing, each day, that makes me truly happy. Sometimes its a person, sometimes its a piece of art, sometimes its doing something for someone else and sometimes its music. The big things in life seldom bring long term happiness as the endorphin rush wears off pretty quickly but finding lots of little things (even on the darkest of days) that bring pleasure on a daily basis (and actually enjoying them) is far more likely to bring equanimity and a more contented life. Its actually one of the ways that I manage stress. Music, for me, is big part of this.
At work on my headphones. Working at home in my loft conversion office (my chair is in the sweet spot), or in the lounge on my AV setup with the kids running around dancing, or in the bedroom when exercising/chilling on my EU Boom II, or even occasionally on my extension spare 3.0 AV setup - usually when I'm in the kitchen/dining room. All of these are streaming via Apple Music, either via iTunes, AppleTV or my phone.
I am annoyed at myself for not going to more gigs, something I aim to rectify this/next year.
I'm now about to write something that may appear musically snobby, but I'm not going to apologise for it: I think that if you really care about music reproduction, you'll have at least one great system in your home.
Now that system may or may not include headphones, or speakers, or even a physical source playing discs, but its main purpose is to reproduce music that creates a visceral response and engages you solely whilst it's doing so.
I once met someone who was very knowledgeable and clearly loved her music. But when I went to visit her, her music "system" comprised her laptop and iTunes, that's it! I couldn't believe it!
When you invest in a system, you are making a commitment to engaging with music in a concentrated and connected way, I think. It's not just something on in the background whilst you wander round Facebook or do the dusting.
Anyway, that aside, I have a mini system in my kitchen for when I'm cooking, a Home Cinema 5.1.4 for music DVD's/Blu-Ray's, a pair of bookshelf speakers attached to my desktop for YouTube and a separates system (including turntable, tape player, CD player, tri-amplification and floorstanding speakers) plus Sennheiser HD 650 headphones for serious, concentrated listening.
But I'm no chin-stroker analysing the leading edge of notes! Music makes me laugh and cry and is my main purpose for being alive. And a system should always serve it's primary purpose: the music.
Oh, and I've just been to three gigs in less than a week! data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Some pertinent points being posted. I know have, what I think it two good systems at home for critical and enjoyable listening. Yesterday's delivery of a new Denon DCD 2500 SACD player has been connected to the Lehmann Linear headphone amp for use with the Oppo PM1s which is now going to carry at least 80% of listening. The Marantz sa8005 SACD player has gone back into the cabinet for running with the Rega and KEF R300s.
As for live gigs only been to one since the wife's heart attack but since she's had the defibrillator fitted the advice for that is to not stand within 10 metres of high powered speakers such as the type found in live rock concerts! The magnets involved in those speakers can interfere with the defibrillator (and pacemakers if anyone wonders). So I think we've been to our last live concert which was Art Garfunkel.data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
I like to listen to live music,spent much a fair amount of time going to live gigs and festivals in my youngers days,but unfortunately i can no longer do that data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7.
Also like to catch up on the music of my pass,so mostly home listening theses days data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
@gibbsy plenty of medium sized and big venues where you can be way beyond 10m away from the PA. Many venues are aware of people with bio-implants (it is now a legal requirement under H&S Law) and can help you find seating that keeps your wife away from the hazard areas. I appreciate its more work, but should not be a limiting factor for live music enjoyment data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 Hope that your wife's defib has given her better quality of life.
Going by your profile, Brighton is a fairly good place for gigs. Been to a couple at the Green Door Store, small and intimate but the Brighton Centre is maybe the worst place I have been to, like watching in a school sports hall and the sound is appauling - over loud and very distorted. Not done the Concord but that is apparently pretty good. For info, new venue just opened in Worthing a couple of weeks ago - The Factory Live
We try to go to the St. David's Hall in Cardiff, beautiful venue with great acoustics. In all honesty she get's very tired so it would take someone special for her to want to go and see now as it's a long day out for her, she has severe heart failure. We turned down tickets for the wonderful James Taylor last year in the Motorpoint Arena where we have seen him twice.
St David's Hall is easily the best-sounding venue in Cardiff.
I had some tremendous nights out there whilst doing my degree course and tickets were cheap in the 90's!
Cardiff students, bane of my life. Especially in the 90s.data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7